Transmission mechanism



Oct. 13,1931. A G. HENRlCKs 1,822,013

TRANSMISSION MECHANISM Filed Jan. 5l. 1927 ummm IIHll] Il ll Illlll llllrllllllllllll I N VEN TOR,

@@WMWZM ATTQRNEYJ.

" i f. "UNITED PATENTFQPFICE? Patented Oct. 13, 1931 ARTHUR e. HENIICKS, Aor--iszrIIWAUxEE, WISCONSIN, AssIeNoR To IIARNISCHFEGER vCORPORATION, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A coRromvrIoNk or WISCONSINy v rnAN'sMIss,ION,MECHAIvIs'iu` Y rllhis invention relatestoimprovements yin Y' transmission-mechanism ofthe type used in connecting cable drums such as are used yin excavator cranes and the like-tothe motive power or prim'e mover, and more particularly to means for connectingl and disconnecting thel drums to 'and lfrom the primemoven Excavator cranes for `which transmission mechanism made in'accordance vwiththe present invention is particularly adapted comprise, in general, a plural-ityof drums or other 'power transmitting elementsloosely mounted on independent shafts, a suitable power plant such as an internal combustionv engine for driving the shafts, and transmission mechanism arranged between the'shafts and drums and adapted to connect the latter to the shafts for rotation therewith at the will ofthe operator who actuates suitable `levers connectedto the transmission mechanism for thispurpose. An example of the type of excavator crane referred to is more clearly vshownand described in Patent No. 1,57 0,108 of January 19, 1926, to Lewis W'ehner, in which j the: transmission mechanism is shown as comprising,- in genferal, a friction' clutch vassociated with veach drum and connectedto vthe `respective drive l shaft for rotation therewith, andan 'actuating `member adapted tov apply thefclutch whereby the drum-isop'eratively connected to the shaft'for rotation therewith. The means for effecting movement ofthe actuating-member is shownas comprising levers which act directly upon rthe-member through suitable connections between the same and the levers. xAlthough this arrangement has proven satisfactory in many respects, it has s the disadvantage that on account of the direct connections between the levers and: actuating members for Vthe?v clutches considerable force must be applied to thelevers'onthe part of .the operator to effect properfconnectionof the drums to the drive shafts'ffor rotation therewith, the force vrequired `in some cases beingvas great as'ffty pounds'' l' In' transmission mechanism'V-of lthis type,

furthermore, theextent to which the frictionV clutches are applied vto the drums depends directly upon, the pull which theoperator'exerts upon the actuating` levers, and a slight variance in the pull exerted on lthe levers makes considerable difference in the operationof the machine, the skilll'of the operator is depended upon to alarge extent in making-the machine operate at its greatest 'elficlutches forl connecting the 'drums tothe KVdrive shafts, so that the force exerted by the operator upon the actuating levers rneed be 'comparatively small and willbe multiplied Ya sufficient numer of times to equal in `eifect the greater force which must be applied by the 'operator to properly operate transmission mechanism used heretofore and of the generaltype shown in the-above patent.

" Another object is* toV provide improved transmission mechanism ofthe character described which is eilicient and durable.

Other objects and advantages will` hereinafter appear. l' f Transmission mechanism made in accordance with the present invention has been shown applied to'an excavatorcrane'of the ltype shown and described in the above Wehnerl patent, but ofcourse it may be used upon other machines as well.. f

1 For the purpose ofillustifating the inven-` ifs-shown the tion.,v an embodiment thereof drawings, 1n Vwhich improvements;

Figure 1 isas'ide elevational view-of transv F ig.'2 is an end elevatiomlooking toward i' the left in Fig. 1; L

Fig. v3V is an enlarfred ysectional view, taken on tia-.villasy 3 3 siting. 2 andv Y Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3. l

Fig. illustrates a detail to be hereinafter described. 1

For the purpose of illustrating tne -invention, part of the transmission.mechanism of the type shown and .described in detail `in the above Wehner patent has been shown in the drawings, which part includes a drive shaft 1, commonly referred to as the digging shaft, a druni- 2 loosely mounted on the latter-and provided with a head 3, a driving gear lined on the shaft, a stub shaft 5 journaled in the gear for rotation therewith, and a friction clutch band 6 arranged about head 3, as shown. and being provided at one ofits ends with ai bolt 3 secured thereto and extending through an opening in a pin 9 fixed in the gear adjacent the edge thereof and extending outwardly therefrom, nuts 10 being threaded upon the end .of the bolt and seating upon pin 9 whereby this end of band G is anchored securely against relative movement with respect to gear 4. An arni 11 is fixed to the stub shaft 5 and connected tothe other end of band (i in any 'suitable manner, an arm or lever 12 being also fixed to shaft 5 on the opposite side of the gear. Frein the foregoing it will be seen that upon relative rotary movement of lever 12 about the axis of shaft 5 in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1,-clutch band 6 will be tightenedv invto gripping engagement with head 3 of druiili 2 whereby the latter is connected to gear 4 i'oi' rotation therewith and with the driving` or digging shaft 1 to which the gear isfixed. For the `purpose of causing this relative rotary movement of lever 12, a sleeve 13` is looselv mounted on shaft 1 and provided with al druiii 14 and lugs 15, vthe lower end of lever 12 being connected to the lugs by means of a link 16. A suitable spring 17 fixed at 18 to gear 4 and to lever 12, as shown in Fig. l, the spring acting to urge lever 12 in a clockwise direction about the axis of shaft 5 with respect to the'gear, whereby the clutcliband 6 is normally held out of driving 4or gripping engagement with the drum head 3. it will thus be seenthat when gear 4 is driven in the ,direction of the arrow in Fig. 1 by suitable well known iiieans (not shown), shaft 5 and clutch band 6 and lever 12 connected to the latter, as well sleeve 13 and drum 14 connected by link 16 to lever 12, will all rotate as a unit with gear 4 about the axis of shaft 1, and that by placing a load on drinn 14 to retard rotation thereof with respect to gear 4, the druni will b e caused to change its relative angular relation with respect to the gear in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 1, this, in turn, causing pivotal moven ment of lever 12 about the axis of shaft 5 in a counter-cloclrwise direction and consequent tightening of clutch band 6 intol gripping engagement with the'druni head 3 whereby the tempie drum 2 is connected to the gear for rotation therewith. Drum 2 may be caused to rotate at various rates of speed, ranging from zero to the rate of rotation of gear 4, this depending upon the amount of slippage allowed be tween clutch band 6 and head 3, which in turn is dependent upon the load placed on drum 14, the slippage between band t3 and head 3 decreasing as the load on drum 14 increased. y

y The means for-placing this load on drain 14 will now be described. A pair of complementary brake shoes 19 and 2O are arranged on opposite sides of drum 14, as more clearly vshown in Fig. 3, and pivotally connected to the upper ends of arms 21 provided at their *lower Vends with hubs 22 fitting loosely on bolts 23 fixed in frame 24 of the mechanism Vat equal distances from either side of the ve- `tical passing through the axis of rotation of shaft' 1. A pair of parallel spaced arms 24 are formed integrally with each hub 22. An actuating member or plate 25 is supported for vertical reciprocatory movement by means hereinafter described, and isvprovided with slots 26 converging toward the line of movement of .this member, as more clearly shown in Fig. 3. Rollers 27 are loosely fitted in slots 26and are carried by pins 28 having their respective ends extending through and being journaled in the lower adjacent ends of arms 24,- as more clearly shown in Fig. 4, the pins being heldin position by any suitable vmeans such as cotter pins 29 passing through their respective ends. The actuating member or plate 25 is enlarged at 30 to receive the upper end of a bolt 31, the lower end `of thelatter being threaded into an ad justing coupling member 32 threaded upon'a Ybolt 33pivotally connected at 34 to a lever 35 loosely mounted on a bolt 36 fixed in frame 24. y The bolt 33 and` the vlower end of bolt 31 are provided with opposite threads, so that by rotating the nut or coupling member 32, member 25 may be adjusted vertically with respectto lever 35. An arm 37 fixed on a Lshaft 38 jvournaled in any suitable manner in the base of frame 24 is connected to the other endof lever 35 by means of a member 39, as shown in Fig. 1, and which may also be adjustable as indicated. A second arm 40 is also fixedron shaft 38 and connected by means of a rod or link 42 to the lower end of an operating lever 43 pivotally mounted on a sliaf 44.

, The operationof the improved transmission niechanisniis as follows:

Upon movement of lever 43 to the left, as viewed in Fig. 1, the actuating member lwill be movedV upwardly relatively with respect to rollers 27, the latter traversing grooves 26 and coacting with the respective inner edges thereof whereby arms'A 24 are spread outwardly awayfrom each other and shoes 19 and 2O caused to grip drum 14 to refigsevgis tard rotation thereof, this action, as explained above, causing the tightening of clutch band 6 about head 3 of drum'2 whereby the latter is caused to rotate with gearv 4, the rate ,of ro-y tation of drum2 as compared with that of the gear depending upon the amount of slippage all-owed between bandf and the drum head 3. This slippage, as will be seen, will decrease as the actuating member 25 moves upwardly te cause further spreading of arms 24 to increase the gripping action or engagement of shoes 19 and. 2O on drum 14. Upon return move-y ment of lever 43 to the right to its position as shown in Fig. 1, member 25 will move downwardly and the respective outer edges of` grooves 26 engage rollers 27 to pull arms 24 inwardly toward each other to their respec tive positions as shown in Fig. 3,]in which position of these arms shoes 19 and 2O will be out of engagement with drum 14 so that the latter is permitted to rotate freely with gear 4, at which time clutch band 6 will be held out of :driving engagement with drum head 3 by the action of spring 17. Y u

An important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the position .of the shoes 19 and 20 may be readily and easily controlled to regulate not only their engagement with and disengagement from the drum, but also to regulate the pressure with which they are forced against the drum 14 when engaged therewith. This permits a nicety and ease of control not heretofore had, and the control thus effected is positive and uniform throughout its range..

From the foregoing it will be seen that improved ltransmission mechanism of the char acter referred to has been provided which is simple in construction and positive in operation. f

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and describedbut ofcourse various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of the parts may be adopted without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims. A,

The invention claimed is: c

l 1. Means for retarding the rotation of a clutch band control drum 'comprising a relatively xed shoe arrangedI to engage said drumto oppose rotationthereof, an actuating arm for said shoe, ar slotted actuating member supported for reciprocatory movement, means connected to said arm and arranged loosely inthe slot with which said member is provided whereby saidv shoe may be positively engagedy with and positively dis engaged fromy its drum, and operating means for imparting positive movement to said member in engaging the shoe with and disengaging it from said drum. A

.2, Means for retarding the rotation of a clutch` band control drum comprising a relatively fixed shoe arranged to engage said ldrum to oppose rotation thereof'and provided withfiparallel'fspacedactua-ting arms,

aslotted actuatingmemberfsupportedrforref eiprocatory?inovementand fitting loosely between ladj acent ends of saidy arms, a pin z conn neet-ing 'said ends andv "extending: loosely throughv the slot' v'withf which lsaid member. iis provided whereby lsaid movement of I the latter ini`r one 'directiont4 causes `operative' moveL y-mentofisaid shoe, and 'operating means for said member.

Means -forretarding the-.rotationof a clutch'l band control drum'co'mp risin a f p air of relatively fixed complementary shoes 'arvrangedto engage saiddr'umzto oppose rotation thereof, an actuating member supported for reciprocatory movement and previdedwith a pair of slots converging toward the line of movement thereof, means fitting loosely in said slots and operatively connected to shoes whereby movement of said member in opposite directions Vcauses simultaneous movement of said shoes intor and out of i Vgripping engagement with said drum, and

operating means for imparting positive movement to said member in both directions.

4..Means for retarding the rotation of a clutch band control drum comprising a brake cooperable with said drum andincluding a pair ofarcuate brakeshoes engageable with Vthe drum, levers fulcrumed intermediate i their ends for rocking movement, one endof one arm of Aeach of said levers carryingv one of said brake shoes, a manually operablel sliding cam having inclined slots, and pins f carried by the ends of the levers opposite the brake shoes and operatively fitted in the slots of the cam whereby the cam controls the application and release of the brake and also varies the. degree of application thereof.

5, Mechanism for braking a control drum ya pair of shoes diametrically disposed for engagement vwith the periphery of said drum, levers adapted to be pivotally mount-V no .j

ment with sai-d drum, cam means movable with respect to said lever and directly cennected therewith toactuate the saine,l and means for imparting positive movement to said cam means in directions to cause the shoe to grip and release the drum.

7. Means for retarding the rotation of a i.

clutch band control drum in an excavating or likemachine, comprising brake shoes disrotatably mounted upon a frame including m5 .posed forengagement with the drum, levers i connected With shoes and pivoted intermediate their ends in the frame of the machine Jfor moving the shoes into `and out of gripping engagement With the drum-for Controlling the rotation thereof, @am means movable with respect to said levers and directly connected therewith for moving the same, and means for imparting positive movement to Said cam means in moving` the shoes into and out of engagement with the drum.

In Witness whereof, I hereto afiX my signature.

ARTHUR G. HENRICKS. 

